August 12, 2004
The Kings Mountain Herald
WITHERS
From 1A
As a coach Withers plant-
ed the seed in the mid-fifties
that many other coaches saw
to fruition in the sixties and
later years.
When Withers first came
to KM as baseball coach, the
Mountaineer program had
been weak for years. In fact,
they hadn’t won a confer-
ence championship since
1941.
- During his first season
only 13 boys showed up for
practice. They won their first
game and lost the rest.
But it wasn’t long before
the Mountaineers were com-
peting with the other strong
teams in the conference and
in 1963 they won the
Southwestern Conference
championship. Ironically,
Withers had to retire from
coaching after that season
because of health reasons.
Barry Gibson, who pitched
for that ‘63 team and later
was KM’s head coach, said
Withers had a tremendous
influence on his life and his
coaching.
“I always wanted to please
him,” Gibson said. “I want-
ed to show him I'loved the
game as much as he did. He
was very dedicated to the
game. He was strong in fun-
damentals and was a strict
disciplinarian.”
Gibson recalled that some
“pretty good baseball play-
ers” at KMHS during that
time either ran track or
worked in the afternoon
because of Withers’ demand
to give baseball a hundred
percent effort.
“If you went out there
you'd better be dedicated,”
he said.
Gibson coached several
championship teams at
KMHS in the 1970s and
1980s and his 1980 team
played for the State
Championship. His coaching
philosophy was simple:
“I just passed along what I
had learned from Coach
Withers,” he said.
Gibson first became
acquainted with Withers as
an eighth grader. He was too
young to play for the high
school team but served as
one of the team managers.
“I would pick up pointers
from him,” Gibson said. “I
was always right there lis-
tening. It wasn’t until I left
high school that I learned
that he wasn’t just teaching
baseball. He was teaching
about life.”
Gibson described Withers
as “an old school” coach.
“He was just like Coach
(Don) Parker and Coach
Bates and Coach (John)
Gamble,” Gibson said. “We
miss some of that today.”
Bates and Gibson pointed
out that the community
owes a lot to Withers for
helping develop the KMHS
sports complex, even though
many people at the time or
since don’t realize how
much hard work he put into
the facilities.
“He was real instrumental
in developing the complex,”
Gibson said. “He put in a lot
of volunteer hours out there.
But he was the type person
that was always in the back- ,
ground and giving the credit
to others.”
“He was a licensed sur-
veyor,” Bates recalled, “and
he did every survey out
there on his own.” Bates alsé
recalled when he, Withers
and the late Alex Owens
“got down in the red mud”
to lay over 1,000 yards of
water pipe to the fields.
Bates served as Withers’
assistant coach on the 1959
KM American Legion team
Mt. po Creek in
seven games. The KM
Legion Post didn’t intend to
sponsor a team that year, but
three men got together and
told Withers, Bates and John
Gamble that if they would
organize and run the pro-
gram and didn’t make any
money they'd guarantee
them $50 a week each.
“We did it and turned
over quite a bit of money to
the legion after the season
was over,” Bates noted.
Bates, who was a team-
mate of Withers on a semi-
pro baseball team in
Lincolnton in the fifties, said
Withers was one of the most
knowledgeable baseball peo-
ple he’s ever known.
“He was a good baseball
man,” he said. “Today you
Fn watch a game on TV
nd all the experts will call
about every pitch. Fred
could do that. He could tell
you about what everybody
was going to do. He had a
good feel for what was com-
ing up. I don’t think we ever
had a bad ball club when he
was coaching.”
Although Gibson was a
member of some of Withers’
best teams, he said the life
lessons are what he will
remember most.
“If you were looking for a
man of principle and integri-
ty you didn’t need to look
any further than Fred
Withers,” he said.
Coach Withers’ funeral
was held Sunday at Central
United Methodist Church
and he was buried in a
cemetery in his hometown
of High Shoals.
Located right beside the
cemetery is a baseball field,
and Gibson said while the
graveside service was being
conducted a coach was
working with some young-
sters.
“I think that was very
_appropriate,” he said.
SCHOOL
From 1A
Mountain said the legisla-
ture did not seem willing to
stand behind redrawing
county lines. She also said it
would be difficult to do in
one year’s time and that
Gaston County would have
to be more cooperative.
“It’s hard sometimes to let
things drop. We tried hard
to stop the merger,” Miller
said. “Once the board makes
a decision we need to stand
behind it no matter how
hard it is.”
Parent Jonathan Merrill
told the board he had paid
the tuition so his daughter
can attend East but called
the price “kind of high for
me.”
Merrill lobbied on behalf
_ of families which can’t
afford the bill.
“I'd like to see something
resolved,” he said.
As of Monday, 50 students
from Kings Mountain had
enrolled paying the $1,414
tuition, officials say. East
was down 25 students from
last year’s first day.
The affected area contains
a public housing community
and many other residents in
a low income bracket. Some
65 percent of East's students
receive free or reduced
PRIMARY
From 1A
directors for the Upper
Cleveland Chamber, Upper
Cleveland Rescue Squad
and teaches Sunday school
at Polkville Baptist.
He owns Cleveland
Staffing and Business
Development, a manage-
ment recruitment company.
A Vietnam veteran, he is a
member of the VEW.
Democrats and unaffiliat-
ed voters who voted in the
Democrat primary can vote
in Tuesday’s election.
Regular polling places are
open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30
p.m.
“No excuse” early voting
takes place Thursday and
Friday from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. at the Cleveland
County Board of Elections
office. The office is now in
the former Red Cross build-
ing at 215 Patton Drive
behind the Shelby Star.
Republican contenders
Patrick McHenry and David
Huffman also face a run-off
for the 10th Congressional
District. That seat has been
held by Cass Ballenger who
has announced his retire-
ment.
HEFFNER
From 4A
Kerry, although I am open
for suggestions. :
Some others I've named
are Bill “Bobble-Head” Frist,
John “Smilin” Jack”
Edwards, Teddy
“Lifeguard” Kennedy,
Jimmy “Boring” Carter,
Madeline “Buddha”
Albright and Gerald
“Bumbler” Ford.
I want everyone to keep
an eye on the Kerry cam-
paign, and every time his
Viet Nam service is men-
tioned, remember he was
just there for four months.
Jeremiah Denton was in a
Viet Nam prison for seven
years, and some volunteered
for several tours of duty
over there.
Kerry is the only one I can
think of who came back and
immediately began trashing
his fellow soldiers and
sailors.
I'm convinced, everything
he has done since his high
school graduation has been
geared for a run at the presi-
dency. He blows with the
wind. The country is at war,
volunteer for Viet Nam. Lots
of people don't like the war,
become an activist against it.
The country goes to war,
vote for it in the Senate, but
wait, some people don't like
the war, vote against the
funding.
From 4A
off from coaching to have
them stripped, but the situa-
tion turned out to be worse
than first diagnosed and he
had to retire from coaching.
Withers became principal
of Central School, which at
that time was a sixth and
seventh grade school, and
he later became principal of
Kings Mountain Junior High
when that new facility was
built on Phifer Road.
During the 1960s and
early 1970s, Withers and Bill
Bates were very instrumen-
tal in the building of the
KMHS sports complex. They
didn’t seek or expect any
recognition for it, but they
spent countless hours at no
pay laying off every facility
from the tennis courts at
KMHS and KMMS to the
baseball, softball and foot-
ball fields at what is now
John Gamble Stadium and
Lancaster Fields.
And, although he was offi-
cially absent from the game
of baseball he continued to
keep in close contact with
the program, attending
games as a fan and always
willing to offer advice to
coaches and players. When
his health deteriorated to the
point that he was not able to
attend games in person, he
listened to them on the
radio.
After his retirement from
the school system he had to
have his legs amputated. A
fierce competitor during his
playing and coaching days,
he wouldn't let it keep him
down. He could often be
seen around town, and even
at ball games, in his motor-
ized wheel chair or driving
a specially-equipped truck.
He enjoyed riding along
country roads and would
often drive up to a former
player or friend’s house and
just sit and talk.
He will be missed.
Contact Gary Stewart at
704 739-7496 or e-mail
gstewart@kingsmountain-
herald.com.
lunch, according to Smith. A
moderately priced housing
development is also part of
the Gaston County portion
of Kings Mountain.
Despite the economic
level, test scores at East have
been consistently high.
Many attribute that to staff
holding after school tutoring
and creating a welcoming
environment for parents
regardless of skin color and
economic status. The
school’s proximity to the
children it serves also allows
parents with limited access
to transportation to still be
part of the campus.
Smith brought up East
Elementary’s end-of-grade
test scores which are 94.9
percent, the highest in the
county with the exception of
North Shelby which serves
developmentally delayed
children.
Miller agreed, :
“I feel for these families.
The facts are there. The test
scores are better than the
ones they're being sent to,”
she said.
Dr. Larry Allen told the
« board that the Kings
Mountain Educational
Foundation will keep its
funding separate from the -
© Cleveland County Schools:
Educational Foundation for
now.
REFLECTIO NS
CIFIZFI2 OLLI CC ES
FALL REGISTRATION
Tuesdays (Aug. 10th, 17th, 24th) 4-7pm
Thursdays (Aug. 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) 4-7pm
Classes in: © Ballet ® Ta
* Gymnastics © Clogging ©
® Jazz * Pointe © Lyrical
heerdance Competition Teams
* Private Lessons ® Praise and Worship Teams
Boys and: Girls (Ages 2 and up)
Our newly renovated studio of over4,000 sq.ft. has 3 dance
rooms, hardwood floors, and a separate parents room.
Most Established & Accomplished Studio in KM
Our students hold hundreds of local, state, regional and
national “First Place” and “Overall” dance titles regional grand
champions at “Starquest” & “Thunderstruck” including
2004 National “Dance Machine” Grand Champions
Come Join Our Winning Spirit!
Bring 2 New Students
& Receive T'Month FREE TUITION!
Registration Fees Must Be Paid At Sign Up.
132 W. Gold Street, Kings Mountain (above Sub-Factory)
Susan Goodson Morris -
Owner
26 Years Teaching Experience ~ 35 Years Dance Experience
For more info: (704) 739-5923 Studio
(704) 734-
puch uu voch sting stab
PAIN PAIN cow argh ugh 4
puch us meh sting stab PA I
PAIN Yeon argh ugh ouch
sting stab PAIN PAIN Yeo
gh ouch uu nich sting stab?
PAIN Yeon argh ugh ouch
stab PAIN PAIN Yeon argh u
teh vouch sting stab
PAIN
Outpatient dental imaging services are now available at Kings
Mountain Hospital.
If you are experiencing dental pain from
an abscessed tooth, broken tooth or impacted wisdom teeth,
please call for an appointment.
e For an appointment, call 704-730-5459
e Medicaid and private pay only
e 8am. -4 p.m.
NZ
NZ
Kings Mountain Hospital
Carolinas HealthCare System
706 West King Street
Kings Mountain, NC 28086 © www.carolinashealthcare.org
0924 Home
Page 5A
Jamie is
For The Lowes!
Honda Prices
Anywhere!
2004 ACCORD
EX
#CM5664IW
BUY For $339 Per mo. ©Q
or LEASE For 249 per mo. @
2004 ELEMENT
EX 4X4
#YH2854PLW
BUY at 1.9%
or LEASE For $299 per mo. @
Cruise In To Register
To Win Your Own
Bull Daw ll
Chopper!
Must be 1 or Pe WAVE e]
driver's license.
Just Take A Test
Drive To Register!
2000 HONDA CIVIC EX
5 SPD., SUNROOF, LOCAL TRADE!
Only 1 95 per mo.@
2004 HONDA CIVIC EX
1K MILES, LOCAL TRADE, COUPE!
Only $269 per mo.@
fom HONDA ACCORD EXL
39 K MILES, BEAUTIFUL,
Pree LEATHER, SUNROOF!
Only 269 per mo.@
1899 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE
TUNER WHEELS,FAST & FURIOUS!
NITROUS SYSTEM, WING.
YOU'VE GOT
TO SEE THIS CAR!
IT
FINANCE MANAGER
BLAU
ET na
LULL [6 DAMON PIERCE
'FFIHAA A es ] LAWS
1859 E. Dixon Boulevard,
Shelby, North Carolina
104-484-0422
@ Incentive subject to change.
@$1,500 Down 60 or 72 5.9% OAC.
® Lease $1,500 Down plus tax, tag &
doc & 1st payment. 24 month lease.
@ $1,999 Down plus tag, tax & doc.
& 1st pgymen. 36 mos. lease OAC.
36 mos. buy. OAC